KSP update: 2012 tour riders released

by Kite Surf Pro
(Kite World)

KSP update: 2012 tour riders released

Maui, Hawaii — April 1, 2012: Highly anticipated by riders, industry and kite community alike, the final list of 2012 KSP tour riders has been released by the IKA (International Kiteboarding Association) today.

As per their press release from earlier today the IKA states as follows: "After the application period ended and an impressive number of 55 male and 18 female applications from all around the world were received, the formerly announced qualification procedure took place. Within that procedure the PKRA and KSP were each given the opportunity to choose their two male and one female wildcards respectively. During this time the IKA consulted with the national associations of countries from which more than one rider had applied in order to give them the opportunity to choose their top rider to be put forward for this year’s KSP tour. The riders were chosen by the IKA under the criteria of creating a slate with the highest possible riding level while also keeping the field of competitors on the KSP as international as possible. With some of the world’s top riders and a total of 18 countries in the slate, the 2012 world title race is going to be phenomenal."

IKA continues: "Riders that have been selected to receive a KSP Tour Card will join the top 8 male and 4 female pre-qualified riders from last year’s wave world ranking as well as the KSP and PKRA wild cards and will have until April 15, 2012 to accept the tour license that will be offered to them directly from the KSP. Any licenses that are not accepted will automatically go back to the pool for national riders and the IKA and KSP will select the next rider on the list, either by nationality or other criteria as outlined in the qualification criteria."

The riders selected by IKA and the national associations are:

male riders

Marciel "Matchu" Lopes Almeida (CPV)

Luke McGillewie (RSA)

Jakob Appel (DEN)

Etienne Lhote (FRA)

Lee Harvey (GBR)

Paulino Pereira (POR)

Mark Moore (CAN)

Jan Marcos Riveras (DOM)

Cameron Biehl (USA)

Filippe Ferreira (BRA)

female riders

Kirsty Jones (GBR)

Jalou Langeree (NED)

Ainhoa Garcia (ESP)

Maria Celina Guardati (ARG)

Milla Knesse Ferreira (BRA)

For the full slate of 22 male and 11 female riders see 2012 KSP riders.

Local and one-event riders will be notified about the qualification process, as time draws closer to the relevant event, by the KSP and/or local organizers directly.